Hair-engaging bow-fastener.



F. J. LIGHTBODY. HAIR ENGAGING Bow FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6. l9l8.

1,287,712. v Patented'Dec. 17, 1918.

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FRANK :r. Lic-H'risonY, or onivrnninen', MASSACHUSETTS, ASYSI'IGNOYR r0 CAMBRIDGE NOVELTY COMPANY, or CAMBRIDGE, MAssAorI sErTs, 3A conronATIon or MASSA- .QHUSETTS.

Application filed September 6, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. Lrcmnomr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in'the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hair-Engaging Bow-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a device of inexpensive and simple construction adapted to engage either a braid of hair depending downwardly from the head, or a body of hair which is not braided, and to releasably secure a made-up bow in a suitable position on the wearers head.

The invention is embodied in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

'Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

Figure lis a perspective view of a hairengaging bow fastener embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Each of the figures of the drawing represents the device considerably enlarged.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In carrying out my invention, I form from sheet metal an elongated imperforate strip which includes a body leg 12, a displaceable leg 13, and a resilient neck 14; connecting said legs.

The outer end of the leg 12 is provided with an integral car 15, constituting a keeper for the free end of the leg 13, this being hereinafter called the outer keeper.

The neck 14 is adapted by its resilience to normally hold the leg 13 separated from the leg 12, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 2, so that the leg 13 may be forced through a mass of hair, the free end of said leg being pointed, as shown at 13", so that the leg is adapted to serve as a bodkin.

' The neck 14 permits the displaceable leg 13 to be displaced edgewise to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, so that the leg 13 may be engaged with and disengaged from the outer keeper 15, the neck holding the leg 13 in yielding engagement with the keeper, as indicated by full lines in Fig. 1.

The described strip constitutes a barrette,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1'7, 1918.

Serial No. 252,842. I

the legs of which are so formed that, when they are interengaged, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1,. a hair-receiving space is formed between their inner surfaces. To this end the body leg 12 is preferably made straight, while the leg 13 is curved. The portion of the strip which forms the leg 12 and carries the outer keeper 15 is provided at one edge with an integral hinge pintle member 17, and at its opposite edge with an integral inner keeper 18. 19 represents a curved arm having at one end an integral hinge socket member 21 engaged with the hinge pintle member 17 and at its opposite end an integral hook 20, adapted to engage the inner keeper 18, as shown by Fig. 3.

The arm 19 is resilient, so that its hook 20 normally springs into engagement with the detent 18, as will be seen by comparing the full and dotted line positions of the arm 19 shown by Fig. 3.

It will now be seen that the leg 12 and arm 19 collectively constitute a clasp, adapted to surround and releasably secure the central portion of a made-up bow and hold the same in a predetermined position. The user of the device may, therefore, connect therewith a made-up bow which may be ap plied and removed, without the wear of the bow fabric, which would be necessitated by tying and untying the bow. The arm 19 may be externally ornamented, to constitute an ornament for the central portion of the bow.

The strip from which the legs 12 and 13 and neck 14 are made is flat in cross section, and is imperforate, so that the body leg 12 has a smooth continuous inner surface forming a bearing for one side of a mass of hair and free from liability to become entangled with strands of the mass. The neck 14 constitutes a resilient hinge connection between the legs, which is also free from liability to be entangled with the hair. The hinge member and detent 18 are offset outwardly from the leg 12 on which they are formed, so that they are not liable to becomeentangled with hair confined between the two legs.

I claim:

A hair-engaging bow fastener comprising a supporting member consisting of a confining leg and a displaceable leg connected at one end by an integral spring neck, an

integraloifset slotted ear on one: edge of the set, slotted eaf and shaped atliitsv free end to confining leg betweenthe ends thereof, and engage said lug. an integral bent over lug on the other edge 1n testimony whereof I have afilxed my ofsaidlconfining leg in alinement with said signature.

5 air; and a bow-engaging arm having a bentover portion at one end pivotedto said ofi- FBAN K J. LIGHTBODY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eae'h, by undressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

